View from the Zoo: Double celebration for Marvin and Clive

Clive the sealion.

James Coleman

Published:18:30Saturday 17 June 2017

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This week has been a double celebration for some of our most popular and intelligent animals here at the Zoo.

The zoo’s two sea lions Marvin and Clive share their birthday on Sunday, Marvin is turning 17 whilst the huge Clive is 23. Both could live to the age of 30 and live with two other males called Miguel and Merlin as part of our bachelor group.

Marvin the sealion.

As a birthday treat they received lots of their favourite fish mackerel and sprats.

They are Californian sea lions who originate from the coast of Alaska all the way down to Central Mexico. Males grow to be much larger than the females and can weigh up to 55 stone. Clive is a whopping 42 stone.

The males also develop a larger neck covered in fur which helps protect them when competing. They are part of the pinniped family which also include seals and walruses.

Sea lions are highly adapted to living on the coast. The beach is the perfect place for them to sleep and rear young. They can use all four of their flippers to move around very comfortably and efficiently on land but are far more mobile and agile in the water. They use a variety of their senses to find food, their favourite being fish. Having eyes on the front of their head allows them to see their prey easily beneath the surface whilst highly sensitive whiskers allows them to pick up vibrations of any movements in murky water.

At Flamingo Land the sea lion show demonstrates a variety of different behaviours that replicates what they can do in the wild including catching hoops to work on their vision and neck muscles, balancing objects on their noses to stimulate their whiskers and back flips to escape their predators.

Throughout the summer shows run every day at 12pm, 2pm, and 4pm and a later show on busier days so if you wish to see our amazing and entertaining sea lions in action or meet them, come and visit us.